Nutrients for Phase 2 Detoxification Flashcards
Folic Acid
Sources: dark green leafy vegetables, cabbage family, organ meat
Actions: Coenzyme form is an intermediate carrier for methylation conjugation.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Sources: dairy, meats, dark green leafy vegetables
Actions: Needed for glutathione production. Provides energy for Phase II conjugation.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Sources: milk, meat, dark green leafy vegetables
Actions: Needed for the enzyme glutathione reductose.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Sources: meat,eggs, poultry, fish, whole grains
Actions: Needed for recycling glutathione, a phase II conjugate.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
Sources: nuts,meats, whole grains, green vegetables, potatoes
Actions: Bound to co enzyme A, a carrier of acetyl groups. Essential in acetylation conjugations of several classes of chemicals. Also important in deamination processes, which detoxify organic compounds containing nitrogen.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Sources: meats, vegetables, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, potatoes
Actions: Required for metabolism of methionine to glutathione. A deficiency of B6 slows methylation conjugation.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)
Sources: meat, dairy products, eggs, spirulina, chlorella.
Actions: Coenzyme form participates in methylation reaction.
Vitamin C
Sources: fruits, green vegetables, tomatoes
Actions: Quenches free radicals produced by Phase I.
Germanium
Sources: garlic, Shiitake mushrooms, onions
Actions: Raises glutathione levels for Phase II detoxification, increases oxygen utilization at cell levels, and is a free radical scavenger. Helps with toxic metal detoxification.
Magnesium
Sources: nuts, legumes, dark green vegetables, beans.
Actions; Needed for glutathione production and activates many detoxification enzymes. The enzyme methyl transferase requires magnesium.
Manganese
Sources: leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, bananas, beans
Actions: Required for glutathione production, as well as by many different enzymes.
Molybdenum
Sources: whole grains, legumes, seeds.
Actions: Helps in synthesis and use of sulfur amino acids, is a component of detoxification enzymes, and is necessary for utilization of vitamin C at cell level.
Selenium
Sources: brewer’s yeast, garlic, liver, eggs
Actions: Is in the enzyme glutathione peroxide, necessary for detoxification.
Sulfur
Sources: garlic, eggs, onions, meats, beans, cheese, peanuts
Actions: Necessary for sulfur conjugation. Because of its high sulfur content, garlic is very helpful in removing heavy metals.
Zinc
Sources: shellfish, meats, dairy, pumpkin seeds
Actions: In enzymes necessary for conjugation
Cysteine
Sources: eggs, meats, onion family
Actions: Detoxifies pesticides, plastics, hydrocarbons, and other chemicals.
D-glucarate
Sources: most vegetables, but high concentrations in oranges, apples, grapefruit, and cruciferous vegetables
Actions: Helps convert xenobiotics to water-soluble compounds. During Phase II detoxification,
chemical carcinogens, steroid hormones, and other lipid-soluble toxins are conjugated with glucuronic acid
in the liver (glucuronidation), and excreted through the biliary tract. Beta-glucuronidase is capable of
deconjugating these potential toxins, making it possible for them to be reabsorbed rather than excreted. D-glucaro-1,4-lactone
is the metabolite that has been shown to inhibit beta-glucuronidase activity, increasing
excretion of conjugated xenobiotic compounds and decreasing activity of harmful substances that are most active in their deconjugative state.
Glycine
Sources: whole grains, meats, dairy
Actions: Stimulates production of glutathione. Also aids in detoxification of benzoic acid and phenol.
L-glutathione (reduced form)
Sources: produced in the body from cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine
Actions: Increases water solubility of xenobiotics, enabling excretion through urine.
N-acetyl-cysteine (precursor to glutathione)
Sources: supplement required
Actions: Converted by the body to cysteine, produce glutathione
Taurine
Sources: meats, seafood
Actions: Needed for acylation reaction.
